Clough Poll

[TomMounsey]

Just wanted to gauge a general consensus of whether people what him in or out.

I personally would rather that he stays. I think the club more than ever needs a sense a stability, for the last few seasons we have been trying to build a team in the middle of the season and we haven't a strong team core that makes any team successful. I know Nigel was in charge over the summer when deals should have been done, but I think he deserves one more opportunity to give it a go.

Having said that I think that the team needs a fundamental change of mentality in the way that we approach matches, especially at home against week side. We have seen the way all season that the likes of Bristol City and MK Dons have torn teams apart by playing open, expansive football and playing without fear and that is they key aspect. In the likes of Jamie Murphy we have some of the naturally best players in the division who should be given free rein to express themselves. This clearly needs to be complemented by a proper defence.

In terms of how to rebuild I don't think a great deal needs to actually be done and as I said before a change in approach and mentality is more important than a change in personnel. Last night was evidence of the need to get rid of the likes of Mceveley and Alcock and the fact they need to be replaced by proper no nonsense central defenders (not the Swindon type of pass it about at the back either. Clough did say it in his interview but signings have got to be quality over quantity. A huge number of the players we brought in, especially in central midfield were too similar to people we already had this season and made no discernible impact.

Finally, the likes of Scougall, Holt and Baxter (assuming they all stay) need to spend a lot of time in the gym this summer, with the two formers in a different region of it to the latter!

 

[Torrix1889]

We will NEVER play open, expansive football under Clough, he doesn't know how to, look at his record at Derby, dull as dishwater, set up not to lose, sound familiar?

I personally can't understand why he is so negative, he played for 2 of the most attacking sides in his day in Liverpool and Forest but he just cannot seem to bear the thought of losing a game which in turn breeds this constant negativity.

Sorry Nigel, you have to go.

 

[Jon Bon]

It's a big OUT from me.

 

[GibboBlade42]

OUT. Clough play not to lose mentality cost us this season and he's too stubborn to change

 

[Blade56]

See 9 players have voted, SNP at it again

 

[sheffielder]

I am an out, but I am not at Blackwell, Robson or Adams levels just yet. Someone needs to look at his wishlist and if it includes Buxton and Barker from Derby then they should show him the door. Is there anyone on Derby's release list worth having?

The board really are in a difficult position of their own making with Clough making his own decision and having his own man on the board. They somehow need to get him back under control.

 

[Davie Blade]

If you are setting yourself up as the polling clerk, have the decency not to express an opinion.

The polling officer didn't send me any other information than the place where to vote not which box to cross.

 

[Mancblade1889]

Just wanted to gauge a general consensus of whether people what him in or out.

I personally would rather that he stays. I think the club more than ever needs a sense a stability, for the last few seasons we have been trying to build a team in the middle of the season and we haven't a strong team core that makes any team successful. I know Nigel was in charge over the summer when deals should have been done, but I think he deserves one more opportunity to give it a go.

Having said that I think that the team needs a fundamental change of mentality in the way that we approach matches, especially at home against week side. We have seen the way all season that the likes of Bristol City and MK Dons have torn teams apart by playing open, expansive football and playing without fear and that is they key aspect. In the likes of Jamie Murphy we have some of the naturally best players in the division who should be given free rein to express themselves. This clearly needs to be complemented by a proper defence.

In terms of how to rebuild I don't think a great deal needs to actually be done and as I said before a change in approach and mentality is more important than a change in personnel. Last night was evidence of the need to get rid of the likes of Mceveley and Alcock and the fact they need to be replaced by proper no nonsense central defenders (not the Swindon type of pass it about at the back either. Clough did say it in his interview but signings have got to be quality over quantity. A huge number of the players we brought in, especially in central midfield were too similar to people we already had this season and made no discernible impact.

Finally, the likes of Scougall, Holt and Baxter (assuming they all stay) need to spend a lot of time in the gym this summer, with the two formers in a different region of it to the latter!

Got to go for me not just because of the strange team selections and stubbornly attitude to his own mistakes, constant excuses, boring negative football, falling out with players but the biggest factor for me is that he splits our fan base in half and that cannot be good for progression

 

[JohnDenver]

In for me, but only given a detailed plan of how we move on. Last dab at it, obviously.

 

[boo radley]

See 9 players have voted, SNP at it again

I voted SDP.

 

[Bladesince59]

OUT

 

[TonyAgana]

In - it's against my own judgement on him* but I'm putting stability** first.

*Specifically centre-halves and his stubbornness even at the 11th hour to disregard the desperate needs of the club
**I think the whole industry needs to learn a bit about having the courage to follow their convictions

 

[Mouth of the South]

Out for me. One swallow doesn't make a summer and scoring 5 last night (even though they also conceded 5) should not cloud people's judgment. The performances, style of play and results across the whole season have simply not been good enough and in all honesty we didn't deserve promotion.

NC has made too many fundamental errors in his player recruitment, tactics and man management, all of which cost the team points and are the reason why they were 20 points off 2nd place and only 21 points away from relegation.

I do however think the foundations of a decent side (& squad) are there - it just needs someone with a bit more nous to convert it into a promotion winning one.

 

[Patrick Suffaux]

Frustrates me to say it as I've been heavily critical of him in recent weeks but he deserves a chance to start next season and see how we get on. He saved us from relegation last season and improved our league position this so I would say he's done just enough to deserve one last crack at it.

We need to start well though, if we see the same inconsistency and fannying about in 6th, 7th and 8th place by October/November then I would change it.

 

[secretchief]

Frustrates me to say it as I've been heavily critical of him in recent weeks but he deserves a chance to start next season and see how we get on. He saved us from relegation last season and improved our league position this so I would say he's done just enough to deserve one last crack at it.

We need to start well though, if we see the same inconsistency and fannying about in 6th, 7th and 8th place by October/November then I would change it.

He 'deserves' nothing. He has failed on every possible metric. That much is clear.

If the powers that be decide to stay their hand and show him mercy it will have nothing to do with his achievements, such as they are.

 

[Darren]

Reluctantly in.

He's not been a great success and, given the resources at his disposal he should have taken us up. However, this is the first season we have gone on an upward trajectory since 2009. I am not sure yet another upheavel would do much good, so I would get in him for a stern talking to and tell him that we must be in contention for auto promotion by Xmas, otherwise he is out.

 

[Mad Mick]

Big IN for me. I was proud of the team last night. But for an idiot ref in the first leg we could have been at Wembley.

 

[metalblade]

No brainer he has got to go ..........................
boring negative football
piss poor signings
playing his ex Derby mates even if they are in shit form or unfit
playing players out of their preferred positions
falling out with players rather than managing them
constantly publicly slating certain players
always moaning about refs or anyone else after a defeat, never his mistakes is it.
failing to address the CB problem we have had all season
failing to address the striker problem we have had since the day he came to SUFC
his view of progress is being 4pts better of than last season, yes the season where we had 4pts from David Weirs management. Sorry we have gone backwards Nigel
the ridiculous decision to spend near on £2m on a full back, other clubs in this league build entire teams for less than that
no league promotions on his CV and you can see why
playing players who are unfit
the general poor fitness levels of the entire squad most are blown out of their arse after 60mins
the poor levels of medical care it seems most players are suffering injury after injury it can't all be down to bad luck, not signing players coming back from serious injury might help a bit.
poor scouting there is a whole world outside of Derby, Blackpool and the lower levels of Scotland you know.
refusing to use modern technology like pro zone, then some wonder why he is called non league Nigel.

 

[mattbianco1]

I'm done with all this chopping and changing of managers. It pisses me off that we've come to this. We used to laugh at Wednesday for changing theirs all the time.

Who do we bring in? People want Mark Warburton. Can't see that happening. He'd want to bring Weir. Would Weir not talk him out of it? Would he think he has unfinished business?

 

[BornOnShorehamStreet]

Sack a manager who takes us from a relegation spot to an FA Cup Semi Final and close to the play-offs in his first season and who gets us to a League Cup Semi Final and playoffs in his second season.

Yup, that makes sense.

Look,

I know the football has been dire at time (but very good at other times)
I know his substitutions can be a bit a bit weird and often too late
I know he is somewhat negative and naive tactically
I know he has left gaping holes in the team structure with an abundance of riches (some might say mediocrity) surrounding those holes

However,
He has had shocking luck with injuries to key players,
He is bringing on some exciting young players
We do have flair and skill in the team
It won't take much to get this team solid in the spine

And,
there is no guarantee that whoever comes in will guarantee promotion straight away.

His card will be marked and he will be given another season whether we like it or not.

In for me but must improve

 

[Esablade]

In from me, though I couldn't really object too strongly if they sacked him on the basis that they had someone already lined up to replace him...rather than sack him and drift through the summer month's 'interviewing' candidates again.

If he does stay he's going to need to find 4 or 5 players to be reyt for next season.

 

[YES Blade]

Big IN for me. I was proud of the team last night. But for an idiot ref in the first leg we could have been at Wembley.

But for an idiot manager with no centre backs we could have been at Wembley.

 

[sheffielder]

In from me, though I couldn't really object too strongly if they sacked him on the basis that they had someone already lined up to replace him...rather than sack him and drift through the summer month's 'interviewing' candidates again.

If he does stay he's going to need to find 4 or 5 players to be reyt for next season.

We need a better transfer policy. no to quantity and yes to quality this time. We have just wasted a season and can't afford another.

 

[nowtfancy]

In.
half decent centre backs & a keeper in & we'll piss it next year.

 

[Esablade]

We need a better transfer policy. no to quantity and yes to quality this time. We have just wasted a season and can't afford another.

Yep. Last season was bizarre in that Nigel missed out on all his targets.
Was this down to the board holding cash back for Ched or were his first choice targets unrealistic?

The one guy he got in to solve our CB problem, Butler, he promptly fell out with big time..if any one has any more info on that, let us know...

 

[mattbianco1]

He can stay for me BUT... We need 2 Centre Backs. Proper ones. Sign Steven Davies who has impressed me. Play 4-4-2 with Davies and Done. Build the team around those two, Adams, Murphy, Brayford and Basham.

For me the XI should be

New GK
Brayford - New CB - New CB - Harris
Basham
Adams - a CM - Murphy
Done - Davies
​

We're not far off.

 

[Revolution]

He can stay for me BUT... We need 2 Centre Backs. Proper ones. Sign Steven Davies who has impressed me. Play 4-4-2 with Davies and Done. Build the team around those two, Adams, Murphy, Brayford and Basham.

For me the XI should be

New GK
Brayford - New CB - New CB - Harris
Basham
Adams - a CM - Murphy
Done - Davies
​

We're not far off.

You've got one player in that team who is out until Christmas at the earliest and another who is not our player and a dead cert to get injured at some point given his history.

So we are a long way off. But then again, so were Bristol City this time last year.

 

[BornOnShorehamStreet]

He can stay for me BUT... We need 2 Centre Backs. Proper ones. Sign Steven Davies who has impressed me. Play 4-4-2 with Davies and Done. Build the team around those two, Adams, Murphy, Brayford and Basham.

For me the XI should be

New GK
Brayford - New CB - New CB - Harris
Basham
Adams - a CM - Murphy
Done - Davies
​

We're not far off.

I like the look of that team but don't forget Brayford is out for maybe 6 months so Freeman would do for me at RB

 

[YES Blade]

We need a better transfer policy. no to quantity and yes to quality this time. We have just wasted a season and can't afford another.

If you were the money men at BDTBL, would you really trust Clough with another penny? Cause I wouldn't!

If he can't get us promoted with the budget he has had this season, how will chucking more money at the squad make any difference?

 

[mattbianco1]

Revolution BornOnShoreham - I think he'll be back September time. Maybe early October.

Think Clough is down in the dumps and may have exaggerated the severity of it. *Matt hopes*